Contra & Square dancing from 7-8pm in the Community Room of Keith House with a dance caller and live music. Free Admission and open to the public. An especially friendly and approachable evening for beginners.

Janet Shepherd from Atlanta is one of the most popular callers in the southeast, Her enthusiasm is contagious and her clear teaching makes dancing a pleasure for beginners and experienced dancers alike.

The Barralon Brothers, Géraud and Mathias come from Ardèche in the Rhône-Alpes region of France.

Géraud, now married to a Brasstown native, makes his home outside of Murphy, NC. He has a background in Django Reinhardt style, rhythmic swing guitar and has performed for many a swing dance in Lyon with group, Djoukil. He sings original and traditional French song accompanying himself on guitar or octave mandolin publishing his first solo album in 2012 called "Comment faire du feu....avec ce qu'il rest" (How to made a fire with what is left).

Mathias is a master timber framer by day and master diatonic accordion player by night. He has an intricate and driving style perfect for both listening and dancing. He performed through out the Rhône-Alpes region for 10 years with French dance band, Hydromel.

They will be joined by one of our favorite local fiddlers, Mike Robinson of Gretchen & the F-Holes, Guiness & Grits and the Mountain Creek Boys.

For this Saturday night dance expect a mix of Irish and French dance tunes!

Enjoy and evening of contras and squares, as well as a few easy Irish sets in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

Jim Morrison is a nationally known caller, teacher, fiddler and dance researcher from Charlottesville, VA.

Owen Morrison’s fiercely rhythmic guitar playing has thrilled dancers across the country. Owen draws on his background in traditional music and his training in classical and jazz guitar to create a uniquely danceable style. In high demand as a rhythm player, he is also a master flat-picker, a solid mandolinist and an innovative composer. Owen has toured with Airdance, Night Watch, The Figments, House Red and The Morrison Brothers Band.

Aaron Olwell is a multi-instrumentalist (flute, whistle, left-handed fiddle, concertina, banjo...) and the son of world-renowned Irish flute-maker Patrick Olwell. He plays both traditional Irish and Old-Time music, which he learned through numerous trips to Ireland and summer camps in North Carolina and West Virginia.

April 4, 2015

Time:
Admission:

8:00-11:00 p.m.
Admission:
Adults $7
Ages 12-18 $4
Under 12 $3

Location: Community Room, Keith House

Contra Dance with Andrea Nettleton and Free Association

Andrea Nettleton is a new caller who is making a name for herself at dances throughout the region including Atlanta, Chattanooga and River Falls.

Free Association is a terrific new band from Atlanta features Bob Kirkman (fiddle), Stven Carlberg (piano) and Bill Porter (flute)

Beginners, singles and couples welcome.

Beginners should come promptly at 8 pm, since we start with easier dances and more teaching.

Chrissy Davis-Camp from Bell Buckle, TN has been a popular caller throughout the southeast and mid-west for more than 20 years. She is known for her clear teaching and large,excellent repertoire of contras, squares and circles.

Huntsville, AL duo, Ed Baggott and Elsie Peterson on fiddle and piano have been playing dances across the country for well over a decade. They combine music from both traditional and contemporary sources and bring a unique, rich, and unusually diverse repertoire of tunes to the dance floor.

Beginners, singles and couples welcome.

Beginners should come promptly at 8 pm, since we start with easier dances and more teaching.

May 9, 2015

Time:
Admission:

8:00-11:00 pm
Adults $7
Ages 12-18 $4
Under 12 $3

Location: Community Room, Keith House

Contra & Square Dance with Terry Doyle & Blue Eyed Girl

Terry Doyle is an accomplished caller who travels extensively to call across the country. In quoting the organizers of the Old Farmer’s Ball in Asheville, “Terry is a crowd favorite!”

Blue Eyed Girl is a dynamic group of young women whose roots are deep in traditional music and dance. Their high-energy dance tunes, sweet Appalachian vocal arrangements, and old-time rhythmic flair draw from the music passed down to them from their families.

Vicki Herndon from Ringgold, GA is a popular caller at dances and festivals throughout the southeast. Her enthusiasm is contagious!

Nashville Ceili Band is Bill Verdier on fiddle, Bill Wolfe on flute, whistles, and accordion, Frances Cunningham on tenor banjo, mandolin, and bouzouki, and Anne Hoos on piano. The quartet joyfully performs tunes from Ireland, Scotland, New England, Appalachia, and Quebec with a crisp and lively rhythm, a visceral pulse, and a haunting sound as old as the hills; music to delight the soul and inspiring to dance to. These accomplished musicians have played for many years at concert halls, festivals, pubs, and recording studios from New England to Texas to Alaska. They were drawn to share their passion for traditional music as a dance band in 2000 and soon became a favorite on the Southeastern dance circuit.

Susan Michaels hails from Los Angeles, California and has been calling contra, square, and family dances all over the western U.S. for the last 25 years. Susan offers dances that are smooth, interesting, and fun with clear, efficient instruction and a quirky sense of humor. She believes her "calling" in life is to facilitate the joy of the dancers.

The Gypsy Stars started as a band dedicated to bringing the traditional New England contra dance sound of fiddle and piano to West Virginia. Rita Ray plays a solid, yet imaginative piano accompaniment along with Paul Epstein on fiddle.

The Gypsy Stars have been playing Contra dances since at least 2005, mostly for FOOTMAD (Charleston, WV Friends of Old Time Music and Dance), but they've also played in Columbus, OH and Charlottesville, VA.

Beginners, singles and couples welcome.

Beginners should come promptly at 8 pm, since we start with easier dances and more teaching.